Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Three. Hey, hey, hey come, we're not hello there, it
is all right in three two one, Well, good morning.
This is Miami Valley View. It is a Dayton public
affairs program brought to you by iHeartMedia Daton. I'm your host,
Dave Alexander and joining me this morning. Montgomery County Commissioner
(00:21):
Judy Dodge. Good morning, Judy.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well good morning to you, and it's a beautiful day.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Yeah, I'm going to see you again as always. Thanks
for joining us. And are so Ashley Mac Community Initiatives Manager, So, Hi,
good morning.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Hi, how are you?
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Unfortunately, we are here to talk about food insecurity, which
is just it's the topic never goes away, never goes away,
and so we're here and we're trying to help, which
is which is a very nice thing. And we're doing
so through shing Montgomery County, which is the local food system,
which I think is that happening this coming at the
(00:54):
Levett Pavilion. So give us an idea of what we
can expect.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
You know, basically since for all oh gosh, we've had
the foods started the Food Summit talking about food and
security thirteen fourteen years straight. Thought, you know what, let's
do something and to get the citizens really so Levitt
just can come here. So we're gonna hay and that's
Saturday am until two pm and there's its free get
(01:20):
the ribal garage. Oh nice, are encouraging families to bring
their thing. We're going to have cooking, des family funding,
a composting. This is really going to be fascinating. People
are going to really see what's learned something exactly. Also
food champions Awards ceremony. We've got some great people in
our community community that have sort of you know, gone
(01:44):
above and beyond their call of duty. So we're going
to award them with nice a nice event. And there's
gonna be all kinds of raffle tickets including including date
and dragon tickets. Nice hey, won't that be great? As
well as cock pots. There's going to be a kid's corner,
a resource fair and of course food trucks.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Yeah well good.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Yeah, So we're really going to have a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
And that's this Saturday.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
It's this Saturday at Levett ten am until two pm.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Sounds like a good time. It sounds like people are
going to learn some stuff. Actually give us an idea,
you know, I know this is this has been an issue,
like we've been Judy said that, you know, they've been
talking about food initiatives and insecurities for many years now,
so you know what what brought this on? What's what
are we doing here in Montgomery County?
Speaker 4 (02:30):
Yeah, I mean, you're right, food insecurity and food access
have always been an issue here Montgomery County. But we
still see even even though there's so many amazing efforts
going on from different organizations as well as you know,
the county itself doing different efforts to really combat food insecurity,
but we still see quite a few number of individuals
(02:53):
that need to receive snap food assistance.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Actually it's one in.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Six that's just in Montgomery County.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Just yeah, so that's eighty thousand residents. And it's unfortunate,
right because we know the importance.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
Of healthy food.
Speaker 4 (03:08):
All of us deserve healthy food, yet there are eighty
thousand of us that in some aspect or another cannot
necessarily access it as easily nor are they able to
afford it.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And so it's a food desert?
Speaker 4 (03:22):
Is that?
Speaker 1 (03:22):
What is that? One of the terms that we will
use that that's it's hard to find fresh food in
certain areas that numbers is so high. I know, I mean,
that is an incredibly eighty thousand people in this Montgomery
County we're talking.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
About it, I know. Well, and you know, one of
the problems is is salaries. A lot of these people
are working, but they aren't making enough to pay rent,
to pay gas to go somewhere, and it is you
have to sacrifice exact food exactly, or.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
At least good healthy food because of your what you're
being paid.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
And also the food bank, you know, thank God for
the food Bank. And they're saying that they have spent
thirty three percent more on food just in the Dayton
area then just from just a few years ago. Wo
so it's getting thirty three percent I.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Know, yeah, yeah, I mean I think after the pandemic hit,
we saw quite an increase of people accessing food through
the food bank and their pantries, and then also just
not being able to easily access healthy food. Well, like
Judy said that, we see, I mean, people aren't able
to afford gas and to get to these places outside
(04:39):
of you know, they're like two mile radius, so if
they don't have transportation to get healthy food, it makes
the struggle that much more difficult. So it's easier to
just go to a convenience store to pick up whatever
is right there rather than exactly.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
And then public health that adds to all sorts of illnesses, obesity,
high blood pressure, and you know, just problems for everyone.
And so that's another major major concern, and that is
that you know, they've got to eat healthy food. And
you know, it's great to go to the dollar store
and get candy and chips and stuff like that, but
(05:19):
that's not that's not.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Nutritious, right, that's not fresh produce.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Exactly kind of exactly what are.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
We doing to help? I mean, what what what can
we do as the community listening in for this public
affairs program? What are some of the things we can
do to help? And what are you guys doing that
you know we can help you?
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Right? Well, we're we're supporting a lot of initiatives that
are in the works. So just to highlight one thing
that's going to be happening this fall is the opening
of the Homeful Helpful Grocery and marketplace. That's that's actually
scheduled to open this fall. Nice and it's it's just
a great example of how the community has come together here.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
I think it's off of Gettysburg and.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
It's going to be a completely full grocery store and
there will be transportation to and from that, so it's
easily accessible and it's an amazing space. So we strongly
encourage individuals to get out there and check it out
once it is open. But that just highlights, you know,
one initiative again, we're holding the Nursing Macroman County event
(06:22):
to bring different organizations like Homeful, the Food Bank, access
to access.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
You have a lot of vendors and a lot of
people that are helping out trying to get this you know,
food insecurity thing. You know, people learning like, hey, guess
what we have this here absolutely now, this is where
you can go, this is what's coming. We want you
to be aware of these opportunities for you that are
out there right now. That's awesome exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
And you know, and also there's you know, in God's
Grace which is there on Dixie and you know, free
food for individuals, healthy food, and you know that's just
a great think gem City Market on Lower Salem Avenue.
My gosh, people coming you know back and forth to
work from work and in that neighborhood there, I think
it's superior and Salem. I mean, that's been a godsend
(07:12):
Gem City Market.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
Judy's got to take a call early on a Sunday,
on a Sunday morning. Oh no, we'll get this out.
That's that's right.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
I'm sorry, I just what the heck does the matter
with me? I'm so sorry.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
That's right, Well I can I'll take all of that.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Take all right. I was talking about Gem City Market.
Can I go back to that? Yeah, yeah, go ahead, Okay, Yeah,
Gem City Market, and you know that is just a
godsend to that whole neighborhood and just to everyone and
anybody gets a chance to go to Gem City Market,
you're going to be so surprised. It's just so great there.
And Homeful. The other thing I wanted to say about Homeful,
(07:54):
Not only is it going to be a grocery store,
they're going to have of zips, pharmacy is going to
be there. They're going to have social workers, so you know,
people can come with all sorts of you know, problems
or anything else that they worked to people about. And
you know, I was at the ground baking last Year's
moving along and it's going to be open just so
excited about Homeful. It's an unbelievable food desert. It's Germantown
(08:18):
and Getty's area.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
So we're you know, we're steps forward but out and
that's what nourishing is really all about. Coming up this Sunday, Saturday,
it is that Levett Pavilion from ten a m. And
I had just asked, and I'm going to ask you again.
But in the community, you know, they want to help.
People out there that are going to want to help.
How can they do?
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Are you do?
Speaker 1 (08:38):
You guys have volunte donations? What can they all of it?
That's good? So if you can't, then you can donate
your time.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
About me, there are people that like it, go out
and do donations, and they would nunt tears come and
help you. You know, gils drive up in their car,
same thing with a lot of them, right and we're
just naming just a lot in our area. Throw this
out the first five at eleven this Saturday, free popsicles
from Seese Ice Pops Oh I know, I know, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (09:11):
We're also gonna have its from two other vendors collab
and so there'll be some other free food are in
attendance to tches and just really get the word at
what some of these these but you know you say
to more can can we do as honestly come to
this event time to learn about our food system food system.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
I think a lot of people are like, well know
what that means.
Speaker 4 (09:34):
And honestly what a manning what we have right here
from the number of people who pref they dispose wanted food.
How we take care of our land because we available
right here that we grow County so coming and under
food system is and then.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Are of the resources.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
So even I don't necessarily need those resources, it might
need those.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Absolutely if you're coming up to the Nourishing McCom event
and use new vendors that are those who are help
on and ask them. And what I like is that
being ever so closer to the beginning school and that
means service a lot of students and you know, all
of these places your help. So if you're a les
school student, let's say that's gonna need service school year,
(10:19):
this is a great place to golp who needs help
when you can. It's just an easy time. It's gonna
be a ten am to two pm. Yes, it's County
Celebration of the local food. See some of the great
things happening. It's great food initiative. And I mean eighty
thousand people county A look about eighty which number And
that's just one count.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
I know, can you imagine the larger Cleveland. Oh my gosh,
and eighty think city of Kettering I think is seven
fifty eight thousand, So that's more, yeah, than just the
city of Kettering.
Speaker 1 (10:48):
Yeah, that's scary. It is scary, and I'm glad we're helping.
I'm glad you guys are doing doing some great things.
So before we get out of here, we have a
few minutes left, we get a great event happening this Saturday.
What what's coming in.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
The future, Oh, you know, I think this is just
the beginning obviously. Yeah, this is, like Judy mentioned, this
is kind of the next step from what.
Speaker 3 (11:09):
We were doing previously, which was the Food Summit. This
is our pilot year to see how the community really responds.
Speaker 2 (11:17):
On how they react to it.
Speaker 4 (11:19):
Yeah, and so I think it's just going to continue
to grow.
Speaker 3 (11:24):
We also have the.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Montgomery County Food Equity Coalition, who's a major part of this,
and Judy's been a huge champion of that over the years,
and we're really going to be focusing on how we
can continue to support the organizations here in Montgomery County
and the work that they do, but then also look
at policies that really help to bolster the work that
they're doing in the commun.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yeah, if anyone goes through there and says, oh, you know,
I have an idea, come and talk to us, you know,
that's it what they're for.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Yeah, that's great.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
All right.
Speaker 1 (11:51):
So what is this Saturday? Once again, give me the
details if you would.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Yeah, it's this Saturday, August tenth, from ten am to
two pm at the level the pavilion and like Judy,
free parking available at the re admission. Not to mention
another thing that's super exciting. We will spirotation from to
the second streetmark able.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
To access all of farm farmers and then.
Speaker 4 (12:16):
Back so we'll have free trip by the RTA, which
was a huge blessing.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
So come and make a day of it.
Speaker 4 (12:22):
Yeah all right.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
So in the future, I know this is a great
volunteers and this our you know, they can't make it,
let's say this week and they go to a website
maybe and checking how to how to volunteer, how to donate.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
What I'd say is definitely mcohio dot org. We're going
to have some information on there as far as what
the food system.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Is and to get more familiar with it.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
And then uh, you'll have our contact information and we'll
be able to help connect you out to those agencies.
Speaker 1 (12:49):
I mean, people are out there, they want help, and
so that's great. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (12:53):
Ye. That's one thing about Montgomery County, you know, we
just have wonderful people here that do want to help
and they understand.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
Let's get some help. This is great looking up this Saturday.
Judy Ashley, thanks for joining in this morning. Thank you,